Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
MIDFIELDER WAHEEM Walker provided the spark which led defending champions Harbour View to a 1-0 win over rivals Waterhouse in a battle of teams vying to stay in contention for the Cash Plus Premier League (CPPL) title at the Harbour View Mini Stadium on Wednesday night.
With a string of less than average results in recent times, the Harbour View faithful have had little to cheer about. However, they were able to find their voices in the 24th minute when Walker's spectacular goal gave the 'Stars of the East' an early and decisive lead. The midfielder leapt to latch on to a poorly-cleared attempt, accidentally nodded on from a Jermaine Hue corner by Waterhouse's Damion Williams, and blasted past goalkeeper Maurice Evans with an acrobatic scissor kick.
A good game
"It was a good game and it was one that we needed to win. I think the team showed a lot of character and we hope for a lot more of that from the players," said Harbour View coach Lenworth Hyde after the match.
"We were on the back foot for most of the game. Waterhouse were playing a lot of long balls into the area but the guys coped well," he said.
It seems Waterhouse just haven't had luck in their past few games and they were simply unlucky not to have pulled level five minutes later. A thunderous free kick struck by the powerfully-built Newton Sterling had a fully-stretched Harbour View custodian Michaud Barrett well beaten but kissed off the far post before bouncing back into play. Waiting just about 10 yards from goal, Marco McDonald's follow-up effort was struck fiercely but flew just wide of the post.
"This is another game we could have won. We got our chances but we did not finish, the goal was against the run of play, but they played well," Waterhouse coach Wayne Fairclough said.
"Right now the only thing we can do is look to win the next three games," he said.
The win saw Harbour View leapfrog Waterhouse in the standings - moving to 43 points, one above the Drewsland team. Both teams have three games remaining in the third round.
Waheem Walker 24th
